And Time Stood Still
by Ms.HeartShapedGlasses
Summary: Sarah, now 18, forges out on her own. She is trying to make a new life for herself when in desperation she calls out to Jareth, not expecting him to come to her aid as he didn't the time before, when she needed him most. Jareth, heart breakingly handsome, but different as are her dear old friends...Jareth as you have never known him before. JXS and the old gang.
1. After the before

A/N: I hope you like this…..am very open to reviews and corrections!

A special thank you to **nothingnothingtralala**…..who doesn't even know who I am. lol. She made me feel like I was 8 years old again….falling in love with a "bad boy" for the first (but not last) time. Even way back then I knew loving Jareth wasn't what good girls should do but I couldn't help it. And reading her story made me fall in love with him all over again….it also inspired me to write this story. Thank you!

_For my will is as strong as yours, my kingdom as great..._

3 years after….

Sarah brushes the dust off the top of the wooden box and sits back on her knees. She grabs her long brown hair and puts it in a messy bun feeling the autumn breeze come in from the open window. It makes her antique lace curtains dance and throw a beam of sunlight on the scarred wooden floor boards of her tiny attic apartment. Her very own apartment…

She smiles crookedly bringing out her dimples and thinks of how far she has come since leaving _that place_…..walking out of those impossibly tall double doors and down those cracked cement steps. She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do. At the bus station, Sarah had taken account of all that she had in the world: a bus ticket into the city, a suitcase filled with clothes, a phone number and address for a job prospect, a key for a storage locker, and a money order made out in her name for $3000.00 – all the money that was left from the trust her Mother had put in her name before she passed away.

Sarah had gotten into the city late that night and spent an evening at a woman's shelter _that place_ had directed her to. She didn't really sleep that night excited to set out the next morning to start her brand new life. She had gone to a coffee shop the next day and bought one of those delicious coffee drinks she had only heard about and purchased a newspaper, jotting down locations and phone numbers for apartments to rent.

Ultimately, she ended up with a small attic apartment of a very old, stately home on the quiet side of the city. It was away from the downtown area but that was o.k. with her as she was still trying to get her footing in this world and the city was quite overwhelming. The apartment itself was just three rooms: an itty bitty bathroom with just enough room for a halo shower/claw foot tub, sink and toilet, a front room that was both living area and kitchen, and a small bedroom really just big enough for a bed and dresser tucked up under the eaves of the attic roof. It was all exposed wood and original molding. Agnes, her Landlord, was a feisty 80 year old woman with an eclectic style she wore with pride. Despite Sarah's lack of references and rental history, Agnes "liked the look of her," and with no questions asked, took $1200.00 for Sarah's deposit and first month's rent.

Those first few nights in the new place were an exciting time for Sarah. She slept in a sleeping bag she had purchased at the local thrift store. No one checked on her, no one was telling her what to do, or what to eat, what medications to take. She was finally free.

Over the next few days, she started to get her life in order. She went to check on the job prospect she was given information about. It entailed filing documents and cleaning up charts at one of the city's Doctor's offices. She didn't like the idea of being anywhere near a Doctor but she knew she needed a job if she was to survive on her own. The job itself was a no brainer and she had just about talked herself into it when she had come upon this book store that was hiring. It was one of those places that you fell in love with instantly. It had books everywhere, piled up and crowded into all the corners; there were brightly colored book related prints on the white washed walls, tables and chairs placed so that you could sit and lose yourself in a book with a nice warm drink and cookies which they also had for sale. Books …the cause of so much pain…and joy in her life. But, just like everything else this crazy life had put her through; she was willing to conquer it head on.

She spent the first few days psyching herself to actually walk into the shop, and a few more days of making random purchases before she had the nerve to approach the owners about the job. The book store was called Anthology and was run by this young, hip couple who didn't blink an eye when Sarah said she had no previous work experience except babysitting… and that she couldn't really even provide references. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that Sonya was pregnant with twins and was going to deliver in a little less than a month. Andre was desperate to find someone who was willing to take over the store for very little money….and Sarah was happy to oblige.

She had been training with Sonya and Andre for about 2 weeks, settling into the rhythm of work and city living when Sarah decided it was time she used that key.

She looked up the address and navigated the subway system to reach her destination. On the subway ride over, she held the key tightly in her hand knowing it was literally the key to so many things, especially her past. When she reached the storage facility, her heart beat a tattoo against her chest, but just as she had so long ago, Sarah pushed her fears behind her and stepped forward.

She spoke to the gentleman behind the front desk who asked her far too many questions. But she answered them and finally seeming satisfied, he walked her to the locker that her key belonged to.

"I always wondered who this locker belonged to….was waiting for it to go into collection, but it always got paid for. Last year, we got a big payment so this locker is paid through to the end of the year. After that, I guess it's up to…,"he trailed off.

"Thank you for the information," said Sarah.

She could tell he was fishing for more information but she refused to give it to him. Honestly, she didn't know what was on the other side of the locked door either. Once he realized he wasn't going to get anything else out of her, he walked away muttering under his breath.

Inhaling for what she felt like was the last time; she turned the key in the lock, opened the door, and switched on the light. Her breath caught as she surveyed the sum total of its contents. It was her life…or what had been her life before…

She took another deep breath and walked further into the room mostly filled with boxes and furniture covered in dust sheets…her bed, vanity, her comfy chair, floor lamp, her mirror. The mirror.

She looked in the mirror, staring at her reflection, waiting, perhaps…but just like the last time, she was alone.

Once she was able to gather herself, she made a list of all the furniture, the amount of boxes and bags that were collected in the locker. With the help of Agnes, she hired Agnes's nephews and rented a truck for them to move all of her belongings to her apartment.

When she handed the key from the now empty locker to the guy at that front desk, he said, "You will have money coming back to you."

"It's not my money and I do not want it," said Sarah as she walked out the door.

It was the last attachment she had to _them_ and she was glad it was over. She didn't need _them_ anymore, hadn't needed either of them in a very long time. She had one fleeting picture in her head of Toby, her baby brother, but she shut her heart to it. That life was over for her now.

…and so she sat in her apartment by the open window with the autumn breeze blowing against her cheek. She gently put the dusty wooden box on her lap touching the delicate scroll work embedded on top. She lifted the lid of the box and out spilled the memories of the before…

A/N: I feed off imagery/music when I write…I will be working on links to have in my profile to share with you what I see when I am writing about specific things..

Song: "I Feel It All" - Fiest


	2. Chapter 2 Abandoned

A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews! It really means a lot coming from all of you especially as you seem to be some hardcore Labyrinth fans. Just a couple of things….I have changed Rose's name to Agnes and the first person to tell me why I did that will get a spoiler; secondly, I noticed my hyperlinks did not convert from my original document so I added them to my profile and will continue to do so as I complete chapters. I will add the music into my ending A/N and into my profile. If you get a chance, listen to the music (YouTube) as you read the chapter…it's pretty frickin' awesome!

Lastly…..a big shout out to **Amaya Shinkuyoake **for some editing tips and helping me navigate FF. The information was priceless.

Chapter 2. Abandoned

_It's a crystal. Nothing more. But if you turn it this way_

_and look into it, it will show you your dreams._

Sarah gingerly placed her finger tips on the red book. The gold lettering on the front was quite faded but she would never forget the title as long as she lived. Lifting the book, she pressed it against her face rocking back and forth. After some time, she put it aside and reached for the other items in the wooden box: a feather as if from an old fashioned cap, a small plain rock, a bracelet made of the most random shiny baubles, and wrapped in delicate tissue paper – a glass sphere that could fit in the palm of her hand.

She let out a shaky breath and looked at all the objects, including the book, surrounding her. They were real, as she was real, as the book was real, as her memories of the before were real. No matter what had happened these last three years, no one, not her Father, or Step-Mother, not the case workers, or doctors could ever make her believe what happened to her wasn't real.

She smiled as she lovingly touched each item before gently placing them back in the box. She kept the book out, not daring to open it but placing it on the bookshelf in her front room. Her first book on the shelf.

She dusted herself off as she stood up surveying the room. The wooden box had been the last thing she had to go through; everything else had found its own place. Watching her funds, Sarah had been able to find an old kitchenette table and three matching chairs, an old ratty but still quite colorful circular area rug. Agnes had offered her a loveseat that had been gathering dust in the basement. It turned out to be vintage and absolutely lovely. Sarah had tried to offer Agnes something for it but Agnes vehemently refused. She said she liked to collect pretty things but often wound up not using them. Sarah was delighted to find matching decorative pillows at a consignment shop. She was quite happy with her place…her new home. Having her old bedroom furniture was a great comfort to her. She often would curl up in her old comfy chair which she had placed by the front window and watched the trees as they changed color. Her world was slowly coming together.

Work at the books store was satisfying in its own way. Sonya and Andre were very kind and patient with her as Sarah learned the ropes. One afternoon as rain lightly tapped the windows, and after all the new books had been stocked, Sarah had shooed Sonya and Andre out the door. She wandered around dusting as she went and humming to herself. Later on, she put on a small pot of coffee and picked up a book. She hadn't read any books since the before…

Taking a sip of coffee she opened a book from the bargain bin and began reading. It was one of the "Romance of the Month" novels but it made Sarah happy. She laughed, she cried, and in the end cheered when Priscilla and Antonio wound up winning back the ranch and adopting the children they had rescued from the fire.

Looking up, she realized how late it had become. She tidied up her dishes, locking up as she went. She took the money from the cash register and placed it in the deposit bag. She would drop it off on the way home. As she locked the door with her key, she felt the rain start to drizzle once again. She put the hood up on her sweatshirt, adding umbrella to her mental list of things she needed to pick up. The bank was only two blocks away and so she was able to deposit the money quickly. She decided to take out some cash for herself from the atm so she could stop by one of the corner grocery stores on her way home. She was slowly filling her cabinets with not only food but pots, pans, and utensils. She loved opening her kitchen cupboards to see tea cups and saucers. Sarah loved to make tea at night in her brand new red teapot and adding honey to sweeten it up.

Just as she was turning back toward the street and putting her money into the front pocket of her bag, she heard a voice out of the darkness, "Don't bother putting that money away, you are going to hand it to me."

Sarah felt a tingle of fear run down her spine and invade her limbs. The stranger from the darkness moved closer to her and in that instant the before and the now collided leaving her fifteen years old and in a maze made of stone. She lurched forward, sprinting out of reach of the stranger. She heard a guttural sound come from his throat as he gave chase. The wind and rain made it hard to see as she tried to blink the water out of her eyes. She made a quick left turn running with no direction, just towards noise and light. Up ahead, she saw the side street she was running down open up to one of the busier boulevards. She sped up and as the side street ended she tripped on the sidewalk and landed on her hand and knees crying out. Hands reached out and she scrambled away only to realize it was an older couple coming to her rescue. The stranger had vanished.

"Sorry," she cried out before heading down the boulevard towards the nearest bus stop.

Once she reached her apartment, she locked her door and walked into the bathroom washing the gravel away that was embedded into her palms. She felt herself begin to shake, feeling cold and scared.

She crept to her loveseat and lay down. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and her throat close up as a sob escaped her. Why? Why her? When she was just starting to get a handle on her life…and now she felt like she could curl up in a ball and stay there forever.

"This can't be happening," said Sarah to herself.

She felt so alone thinking back to that other time in her life….when she felt like she couldn't go any further. But then, she wasn't alone. She had her friends Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, and Ambrosius. Even_ him_. Even Jareth. Sarah pictured him, his multi-colored eyes and piercing stare, the constant scowl/smirk that he always wore. She remembered being in his arms, where she almost forgot everything, even Toby. That's what she needed now, she needed to forget everything, not just tonight but what her parents did to her, what they took away from her. A sob once again escaped her as she recalled the words that turned her world upside down. It also reminded her of the other time she had called to him, to her friends. They did not help her. She didn't expect them to appear this time either but it didn't stop her.

"Goblin King, Goblin King wherever you may be, take me far away from this place."

Her sobs became deep breaths and then silence. She felt so tired and hollow. As her eyes closed, she thought to herself that once again they abandoned her.

Sometime later she opened her eyes. The moon cast shadows and she blinked to get her bearings. She felt a change in the room as she tried to sit up. That's when she noticed that someone was in her old comfy chair. Her floor lamp clicked on as she heard him whisper, "Sarah."

A/N: "Don't Say" – Hannah Cohen.

Please don't forget to review….me loves reviews.


	3. Chapter 3 Changes

A/N: Once again, thank you for the comments. I appreciate all the help with corrections. It just makes the story better. I knew at some point with the way I was going with this story that some Goblins might not be happy with the changes I am making to a certain Goblin King…and I completely understand if you want to wish me away after this chapter..lol.

Shout-out time: ashley2876…..Thank you for correcting my sleep deprived writings and for guessing correctly about Agnes (see, I spell things correctly when I actually sleep for a few hours.) I shared with her the spoiler which in itself is a clue…..happy hunting Ashley!

Chapter 3. Changes

_And remember, fair maiden, should you need us..._

_Yes, should you need us, for any reason at all..._

I closed my eyes and opened them again, not believing who sat before me. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I started to take in the details of _him_.

"Sarah," he whispered again.

I swallowed back a cry feeling like I was trapped. This was not the Jareth I knew… though his voice constricted my heart, remembering.

"Who are you," Sarah stammered.

"You know exactly who I am, Sarah," he replied.

The man that sat before Sarah was not the Jareth who has haunted her dreams, who had chased her through the labyrinth, who held her in his arms. Some things did feel familiar to her, like the way he sat in her old comfy chair like it was a throne, how impossibly tall he was. But where the Jareth of the before was lanky and glittery, dressed like a pirate about to plunder, hair out every which way, heavy painted eyes and lips, this Jareth was different.

He stared at Sarah as she drank him in, his muscular form, chiseled face so different then what she remembered, much shorter hair but still so blond it could be white. He was dressed all in black from the collared shirt to the tailored suit coat and pants, to the square toed boots. He was like the devil himself. She was mesmerized by the man who sat before her…this could not be _him_….except when she looked into his eyes, she knew. Jareth had come to her.

He stood then, gliding over to Sarah to take her up in his arms, the top of her head coming to the middle of his chest.

"Jareth," she sobbed out finally surrendering to her new reality. The Goblin King had returned to her.

"Shhhhh," he crooned into her hair, cradling Sarah close to his heart. She felt him take deep breaths to match her own. They stood there for quite some time in each other's arms. Finally, he broke the embrace to look down at her.

She stared into his eyes, mesmerized by their intensity, color, differentness. She witnessed the small smile creep onto his face.

"Are you done staring," he asked in that all too familiar tone. He backed up and sat back down in the comfy chair hooking one of his legs over the arm. Totally Jareth.

"Why do you look like this," asked Sarah sitting on the floor by the chair, hands in her lap.

"In the realm of the magical, nothing is as it seems….as you know quite well. Back then, in your child's mind, I looked exactly how you needed the villainous Goblin King to look. I was everything you feared….and wanted," he said with a crooked grin.

Sarah started to splutter, "I didn't want….."

Jareth put up a hand to stop her. "Pretty Sarah that is how it works. There is nothing to argue about."

"Do you really look like this or are you again what I fear and, and…..."she couldn't finish the thought.

He turned abruptly in the chair, planting both booted feet on the ground, taking her chin in his warm fingers, making her look once more up into his face.

"This is me, no magic or spells. How do I stack up to your Goblin King, Sarah?"

Her throat felt dry…how did he "stack" up? The Goblin King of her childhood was as he said, everything she feared and yearned for. Before her now was the most beautiful man she had ever seen and she was so much more afraid of this Jareth, of this Goblin King. The silence stretched before them with so much left unsaid.

Sarah wrapped her arms around her legs, bringing them up under her chin and whispered, "Why come to me now?"

"You called to me," he said simply.

"I called to you before but you didn't come, none of you did. I called and called and you didn't come to me." Tears fell silently down her cheeks. Jareth ran a hand through his hair at a loss for words.

"Sarah, you have to understand when you left, the realm was in total upheaval. All things considered, I was bested by a human fifteen year old girl. There were those that felt that I no longer belonged on the throne; I had to defend myself, my legacy. Everyone was in danger including those who helped you defeat me. No one was safe." Sarah leaned forward grasping his knee hard.

"Are they all right? Please tell me they are o.k."

Jareth smiled. "Yes, unfortunately, your dear ones came out unscathed. Against my better judgment, they are all in my service."

"Can I see them?"

"In due time, Love. There is much you do not know or understand yet. Things are not as simple as they used to be."

Simple? Sarah's world had turned upside down when she entered the Underground. Thirteen hours and her life was irrevocably changed. She was changed as the world she knew stood still.

"Now is not the time to get into all of that," Jareth continued. "I know it is quite late by your earthly standards, maybe you should try and rest." He stood up looking around.

"No," exclaimed Sarah grabbing his arm. "Please don't leave me, not yet. Have some tea with me."

"Tea," he said with an incredulous look on his face.

"Yes, tea. Just one cup and I promise I won't beg you to stay any longer." He shrugged his shoulders, giving in.

"I am quite famished. Do you have anything I could dine on?"

"Sure….I could make you a sandwich," she asked, hesitating.

"A sandwich, "Jareth said making the same look he did when Sarah had offered tea.

"Yes, a sandwich. It is two pieces of bread with meat or cheese or vegetables…," she started to explain using her hands to demonstrate.

"I know what a sandwich is, "he said rolling his eyes. "A sandwich it is."

As Sarah readied their midnight snack, Jareth took a look around. Her dwelling was the very essence of her. He noticed the lone red book on a nearby shelf. He picked it up, tracing the spine with his finger.

Sarah stood with the sandwich and tea in her hands, watching him. "Aren't you afraid that if you open it, you'll get sucked into the pages or something?"

"That is not how it works, my lady."

She brought the snacks to the table and sat down. She watched as Jareth took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. That's when she began to notice the tattoos he had….all of them inked in a silvery black, scrolled words and designs unfamiliar to her.

"You're covered in tattoos," she said wonderingly.

"It's a rite of passage with the Fae. It tells the story of my lineage and as I come from quite distinguished blood lines, there is much to tell." Sarah noticed the scroll work climbed up one side of his neck.

Jareth looked at the sandwich skeptically but hunger overtook him and he dug in. Sarah sipped her tea quietly knowing that this night could not last forever, already devastated by the thought of his leaving her.

When he was done with his sandwich, he wiped his mouth with the napkin. Putting the dish aside he took her hand.

"I wanted to say how sorry I am for the loss of your Mother," he began quietly. Sarah shook her head but before she could say anything, he continued. "There is so much I want to question you about….once we realized you had called out for us, it was too late. You were no longer at your home. The goblins tried to find out where you had gone but they were useless as always. Hoggle even made a journey to see you but he said you had gone away."

"I didn't go anywhere, I was placed. And I don't want to speak about it. It's done and over…."

Jareth looked up at her through his eyelashes, watching her face transform into a mask. Wherever she had been "placed" was not good. He thought better of asking about Toby. He turned over her hand in his own, palm up. He leaned over and kissed the center.

"It is time for me to depart," he said sadly.

"I know. I'm afraid, afraid that you will never come back."

"I will be back very soon, I promise."

He stood up shrugging into his jacket once more. He took Sarah into his arms whispering into her ear, "Until we meet again."

And with that, he disappeared.

A/N: What do you think of the "real" Jareth? I wanted to go into more detail but I left it purposely vague. He represents growing up to me. I remember being in **lurve** with Jareth at 8…thinking his glitter and eye makeup and pirate clothes were absolutely beautiful….not so much now. I have changed and so has Sarah. When I look at Bowie as Jareth, I feel 8 again…but I am not 8 any longer. Leaving him a bit vague was so that you can all picture your own "real" Jareth…..hey, that might even mean glittery pirate Jareth and that's perfectly awesome too. Please let me know how you feel….

Music: Changes (David Bowie Acoustic Cover) by Allison Dyjach – YouTube this,,,,it's really beautiful.


	4. Chapter 4 Revelations

A/N: I am so glad that you are enjoying this story and the changes I have made to Jareth. If you are interested in knowing the famous person I have in mind for the look of this character, pm me, and I will tell you. It isn't a secret or anything but I don't want to warp your idea…because once you know something, it is hard to unknow it…lol.

Shout-out time: arynwy, you are very perceptive….Jareth is quite different now and it would make sense that her other friends from the Goblin City might be different too. Kudos!

Without further ado….

Chapter 4. Revelations

_She treats me like a wicked stepmother in a fairy story, no matter what I say._

The next few days were excruciating for Sarah. Every time she stepped into her apartment or opened her eyes after sleep, she immediately would look at her old comfy chair to see if he sat there. He promised her that he would come back to her but then had disappeared without telling her when. _Promises_. At one particularly vulnerable moment, she thought perhaps she dreamed it all but then she scolded herself. He had been there, in her apartment, had held her to his heart, and kissed the palm of her hand.

The one bright spot in the endless days that followed that midnight visit from the Goblin King was that Sonya had finally delivered the twins, a boy and a girl. As the twins parents had been so wonderful and kind to Sarah she felt like a token of appreciation was necessary.

She entered the children's boutique that was located on the same avenue as the book store. It was filled with such beautiful things, so impossibly small. As Sarah sorted through the racks, she came upon a set of pajamas that made her heart constrict…..a striped onesie with a matching stocking cap. It hung innocently in front of her. She couldn't help but think of the dear baby brother lost to her now. After everything she had done to bring him home, she couldn't even hold him in her arms. He would be too big to throw in the air now, a game he used to love to play. He would be walking on his own and most certainly wouldn't remember her. Shaking away the thought of all that was lost to her because of _them_, she continued with her search, finally picking matching receiving blankets.

"The missus will love these," said Andre joking around with Sarah. "Really, she will. She has eyed up that boutique for quite a few months but we are on a budget , it really is too much, Sarah."

"Not at all. You have been so good to me and I really enjoy the shop and spending time here."

"We were worried after what happened, that you might not want to work here anymore."

"Don't be ridiculous, I've come up against scarier stuff than that. Just no more deposits at night, that's all….no more about that. Tell me how Sonya is, how is she doing?"

"She is doing a lot better than we figured with both of them. It helps that I can be around and the store is open. We were so worried that we would have to shorten the hours for awhile. We totally owe you big time." Andre had no idea how thankful Sarah was for the extra hours at the store. It helped her bank money and more importantly, it kept her from constantly thinking about _him_.

Sarah found herself pacing back and forth in the open space at her front window late one Fall evening. It had been a little over two weeks since Jareth appeared in her life again. Why wasn't he returning to her? Did something else happen in the Goblin City to keep him away or was he choosing to break his promise?

She closed her eyes picturing that handsome face. She could still not believe the real him, like something out of one of those high fashion magazines that they sold at the book store, so effortlessly beautiful; and the tattoos…..how much of his body was covered with that other worldly ink? She needed to stop thinking about him like this. This is Jareth, the Goblin King that stole her baby brother, poisoned her, magicked her until she didn't know which way was up, literally turning her world upside down…..except that he said he did it all for her. That he wanted her to be his. So much time had passed but she couldn't help but think about all he had said to her in those thirteen hours. There was still so much left to be said between them.

She shrieked in frustration throwing herself on the rug by the book shelf. She perused the books she had recently purchased at a great discount. Andre had laughed at her purchases; they were all cheap romance novels….nothing even remotely close to the red book they shared space with. Her eyes were drawn to it and almost without her permission she found herself grasping it and laying it down before her. She traced the lettering and the patterns before she took a quick breath and opened the cover, turning to the first page of text. She couldn't help but read aloud.

"_Nobody saw the owl, white in the moonlight, back against the stars, nobody heard him as he glided over silent wings of velvet. The owl saw and heard everything….."_

"Really," said Jareth startling Sarah so that she jumped, the book skittering across the wooden floor; he bent and picked it up. "After everything that has occurred, you would start reading this out loud again?" He shook his head at her. "Tsk, tsk, tsk….bad Sarah." He gently placed the book down on the kitchenette table and sat in the old comfy chair.

All she could do was stare. Once again he was dressed all in black but this time much more casually. He had on a black sweater, the sleeves pushed up his forearms revealing the myriad of tattoos that seemed to cover him. He looked impossibly young.

"Are you wearing jeans and Chuck Taylors," asked Sarah, blurting out the first real thought she had since he startled her.

He snorted. "What do you expect me to be wearing? Tights and some awful shirt opened to my navel? Those were your creations, not mine." Sarah blushed brilliantly.

"Come here", he said beckoning to her. She stood up and walked towards him, coming to a standstill at his feet. He took her hand and kissed the knuckles. She smiled, still not able to meet his eyes. Suddenly, he pulled her to him and Sarah found herself on his lap looking into his face.

"You don't look like a Goblin King anymore. You look like a boy."

"Make no mistake, my Love, I am no boy."

"But, but…..you are wearing regular human clothes!"

"Despite what that book of yours has taught you, the magical realm is not in some other dimension. We exist as you and your humans exist. The people who serve me have families and homes and eat pie for dessert. Yes, some still cling to the old ways, clothing included, but most of us pass from our world to yours. There is much work we do Aboveground and if we went about in capes riding sheep dogs, we would be noticed…at the very least videotaped and put on YouTube."

Sarah stared at him open mouthed.

"Don't get me wrong, Sarah. I do not understand much of your world, your customs, your beliefs, the high price you put on the meaningless, but if the Fae didn't learn to assimilate, we would cease to exist." He took her hand again. "This is your world," Jareth said pointing to her hand. He covered her hand in his. "And this is my world, we are forever linked. And yes, that means I wear jeans and what you call Chuck Taylors once in a while." Sarah continued to look between his face and their linked hands.

"Did I break you? You seem incapable of speech."

"I am just trying to understand all of this."

"I know it has been difficult for you for a very long time and I wish that I had been able to come to you when you had called. I know that you do not want to share with me what has happened to you, but I need to know. I can have those damn goblins of mine find out but I want you to tell me. You must, Sarah."

She shook her head as if to say no since she was incapable of voicing anything at this particular moment with his face so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her cheek. "Please," he whispered.

With a shaky breath, she began to share what she promised herself she would never relive again…but this was Jareth. He had come back to her when she called. She surrendered to his will, no magic needed.

"After….after I brought Toby home and said good bye to Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, and the goblins, I couldn't concentrate on anything. I couldn't tell anyone what had happened to me…..My Step-Mother continued as she did before, complaining about everything I did, what I wore, what I ate. My Father always took her side. My Mother finally called me when she returned from her extended trip to Europe. It had been months and months since I had seen her. She had always been in and out of my life, always disappearing, but this was the longest time yet. She seemed really excited to see me and we were making plans for me to visit her. I was hoping she would let me stay. One night, I was on the phone with her and I started to cry. I couldn't hold it in anymore. That day, my Step-Mother had gone into my room, going through my things while I was at school. She found my journals. I had written about my time in the Goblin City…..but there were journals from before that. Journals where I had written that I wished Toby had never been born and that my Father had never gotten married to her. When I walked in the door that afternoon she started screaming at me….she didn't stop until my Mother called. I told my Mother everything, about how it was like to live at that house, about my time in the Goblin City. I don't know what I expected her to say but she told me that everything was going to be ok and that we had so much to talk about. My Step-Mother must have been listening in because she stormed into my room and started screaming at me again, calling me a liar. I felt brave because my Mom was there, at least on the phone, and I stood up to her and told her to stop yelling at me. She slapped me and ripped the phone out of the wall. My Mother must have panicked and drove to my house. By that time, my Father had returned home and my Step-Mother was giving him the play by play. Toby had awakened with all the noise and started crying. She wouldn't pick him up and she wouldn't let me pick him up either. And then my Mother appeared….telling my Father and Step-Mother she was taking me that very moment. I didn't want to leave Toby but I had no choice and so once we got in the car, I started to cry hysterically as my mom drove away. She was trying to comfort me as she drove and took her eyes off the road, and then…and then all I remember is waking up and my Mother was so bloody and still and she wouldn't answer me. I guess that's when I started to call for you, for all of you. That's how they found me and my Mother…I wouldn't stop calling for you to take me away. They gave me something that made me sleep for a long time and when I woke up the doctors said that they were very concerned about me, that my Step-Mother had given them my journals and they were putting me in this intensive program. I wasn't able to go to her funeral, I wasn't able to thank her for saving me or believing me. I never got to say good-bye to my Mom.

My Father didn't try and help me, he certainly didn't believe me, he just listened to _her_. I never saw Toby again. My Father would come to visit and sometimes she would come too. I don't know why she bothered except that when they started talking about me possibly going home, she told them that I told her I wanted to hurt Toby…and so I was there at _that place_ until just a few weeks ago. When I turned 18, they said they couldn't stop me from leaving."

Sarah curled into Jareth then putting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tight as she began to cry. She cried for her Mother, for Toby, for the childhood that was lost to her.

A/N: So now you know what happened to Sarah, what has brought her up to this point….why she is alone. Obviously that story is going to play into what happens in the future that's why I didn't want to give it to you in pieces…I wanted you to really understand what happened.

How do you feel about Jareth now? I know there is a difference between making him more relatable and modern but I for sure stepped it up this chapter, deciding to make him young also…not like Sarah young, but not Dad aged. Now that I have a face to Jareth, my writing is a little more specific. How do you feel about my explanation about the worlds coming together?

Please do not hold back, review away.

Music: "True Colors" – cover by Ane Brun.


	5. Chapter 5 I Will Wait For You

A/N: I have a whole bunch of new followers which is super great…and my first hater. I guess that makes me famous now. hehehehe. I'm like the Kim Kardashian of Labyrinth fan fic. I knew my ideas were not going to be liked by everyone. Is that what a flame is? I'm just learning all the lingo now and am enthralled by it and want to use it in my everyday life.

This is a fluffy chapter...I think? I wanted to have some fun before I got into the heavier stuff. Please keep reviewing….good/bad, just like to hear what people are thinking.

Shout-out time: **maraudergurl2010**…after getting some hate thrown my way, your review was so very kind and sweet, it made me happy when I saw it this morning and has me finishing the chapter I had put aside last night.

Chapter 5. I Will Wait For You

_But what no one knew is that the King of the Goblins_

_had fallen in love with the girl and he had given her_

_Certain powers…._

He stayed with her that night until she fell asleep. He laid her on the loveseat, covering her with a blanket that was hung on the back. She looked peaceful. Absently, he ran his hands through his hair which he always did when he was in deep thought. He walked to her front window looking out into the night sky…and beyond.

What was to happen now? He knew he couldn't keep doing this…skulking into her apartment in the middle of the night. There was so much she still didn't know about him, her old friends, and the Goblin City. What he needed was more time, just a little more. He walked back over to her sleeping form. Leaning over her, he watched her sleep for just a moment before he placed a kiss on her forehead. She shifted in her sleep toward him but he had already disappeared.

He returned to her almost every night after that. Sometimes just for a few brief moments to see how she was faring. Other times he stayed longer. They would sit at the kitchen table, Sarah with her tea, and Jareth with the sandwiches he secretly loved.

They spoke about all sorts of things. She asked about her friends and he shared some humorous stories about what they have been up to. She asked again about seeing them and he told her in due time. One evening she read to him out of one of her ridiculous romance novels. She laughed when he became enraged about the villain in the book.

"He deserved that land more than that Jackson….Jackson has done nothing but complain since he moved into town." Sarah giggled when he urged her to continue with the story. Jareth felt like they had come to the best part of the story, the villainous Sheriff Seth had cornered the poor showgirl, Leona, yet she seemed to like his kisses. He watched Sarah as she read ahead then suddenly closed the book.

"My throat is starting to hurt, " said Sarah. Jareth looked over at her skeptically grabbing the book from her hands before she could protest. He flipped ahead to the part of the book where they had been reading from. He began to read ahead too…..his eyebrows rising as he continued. He looked up just as Sarah started to turn a bright red from the neck up.

"I see why you didn't want to continue reading out loud. How is he even able to do that to her on a horse?"

"Jareth," shrieked Sarah grabbing the book back.

"It's your book," he returned back. She glared at him.

"Really, it's no big deal. Humans, Fae, goblins, it's all pretty much the same, nothing to get flustered about."

"You just don't get it," she said getting up and clearing the dishes off the table. He followed her to the sink as she turned the water on and started to scrub.

"Don't get what," he asked completely perplexed.

"That. I have no point of reference for any of that. I was a fifteen year old girl who was still playing dress up and acting out plays in the park. And then I was away…no dates to the movies, going out to dinner, or dances, nothing. I haven't even had my first kiss yet. The closest I came to that was with you….and you looked like a middle-aged glitter pirate!"

He stood there open mouthed at her confession. "Do you want me to kiss you," he asked.

She opened and closed her mouth several times, nothing coming out. Finally, she seemed to gather herself.

"Get out right now" she said.

"Sarah, what is wrong with you? I only asked because it seemed like that is what you wanted of me. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Go away, I mean it." He knew when it was time to bow out gracefully.

They continued to spend stolen moments together. Sarah found herself starting to look at the clock as soon as she entered her apartment in the evenings. She would fold laundry or clean, take a shower, anything to pass the time and make it go faster.

Late one afternoon in the book store as she was inventorying the magazines, taking out the old and replacing it with the newest issue, she heard the bell over the door make its tinkling sound. Without turning around she said, "Good afternoon. Please let me know if you need anything."

"I am looking for the sequel to the Sheriff and the Show Girl," said Jareth with laughter in his voice. Sarah whipped around, knocking one of the magazine racks over in the process.

"You're here in the book store", she said aloud as if trying to confirm it to herself.

"Books in the Aboveground are so much more interesting." He walked over to the mess and with a click of his fingers the magazines righted themselves.

"I can't believe you are here…..outside of my apartment, at the book store."

"Well, I had some work to do Aboveground and decided to come and grace you with my presence….and maybe walk you home if you were ready to do so."

"This is as good as a place to stop as any. Give me ten minutes and I will be ready to go."

She went into the back to start closing up. When she came back out to the front of the store, she saw that Jareth was very seriously reading the back of a book. It gave her the opportunity to view him without his noticing.

Today he was wearing jeans and Chucks again. He had on a simple black hooded sweatshirt and his hair looked like he had been running his hands through it. She could almost forget that he wasn't a regular guy perusing books. That is, until something he was looking at was out of hands reach and he had it float over to him. He must have felt her watching him because he looked over at her and smiled.

'You do realize that you are standing in front of a big window that looks out onto a busy straight; anyone could have seen you use your magic. What would you have done?"

"Hit them over the head," he said with a wicked grin. "People see what they want to see…remember"

"Are you sure this is the real you? I mean, are you trying to tell me I am seeing what I want to see, like how I see you now, so different then what you were from before."

"You do read quite a few of those romance novels….."

"Never mind," said Sarah exasperated.

Jareth came towards her, grabbing her hand. "I truly am how you see me. No glimmers or magic, the real me." His eyes held hers with a steady gaze. "Let's walk."

As they walked towards her apartment, they decided to stop and buy dinner from a food truck. It was something Jareth had never experienced. She ordered him a sandwich that had chicken tenders, french fries, and onion rings on it. He was absolutely delighted. After they finished their meal, they began walking again. The sky had slowly started turning a steel gray, with clouds moving in. They began to walk a little faster. Suddenly, the sky opened up, rain coming down hard and fast. Sarah shrieked. Jareth took her hand and they began running. Once they arrived at the apartment, she fumbled for her key.

"I know you could magic us a damn umbrella or back into the apartment," she said fighting with the key in the lock.

"What's the fun in that."

Sarah was finally able to get the door open. They rushed inside, up the stairs, and through the door that lead to the front room of her apartment soaking wet and laughing.

"This sweatshirt weighs a thousand pounds now," Jareth said.

And with that, he took off not only his sweatshirt but the soaked t-shirt underneath. Sarah was paralyzed, staring at his body. His muscles were defined against his pale skin making the tattoos stand out even more. Like in a trance, Sarah walked towards Jareth until she was close enough to touch him. The tattoos covered both his arms, chest, ribcage, and back – beautifully scrolled words and images all seeming to tell a story. She reached out and traced her fingers on the lines of words that wrapped around his forearm. Hesitantly she placed her fingers on his ribcage, tracing the line of words there also; she continued to read "his story" following the scrolled words and patterns on his back. Sarah couldn't believe how breathtaking he was. Jareth stood perfectly still, barely breathing. He took her hand at one point, stopping her touch.

"Lift your arms," he said to her and without hesitation, she did so. He slowly drew off her t-shirt throwing it aside, leaving her in her bra. He ran his fingers gently up and down her arms. He brought his hands up to cup the back of her head leaning down and bringing his face within an inch of hers. His mismatched eyes stared. She felt his breath on her lips….so close. But instead of kissing her as her mind screamed for him to do, he said; "You should put dry clothes on."

The spell was broken.

She stepped back, entered her room, and quietly closed the door. She felt like she was hyperventilating. She couldn't wrap her head around what had just happened…what had almost happened…..why it didn't happen. She dried herself off, putting on pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. Taking a deep breath, she opened her bedroom door.

He was sitting on the loveseat still without his shirt, holding her IPod, her newest investment. She noticed that he put their sweatshirts and t-shirts on her radiator.

"You can't just dry your clothes by blinking at them or something," she said snarkily, still slightly upset with what didn't happen.

"Magic is energy. I am not wasting energy drying my hoodie." She had recently taught him that word and he now used it all the time. Hoodie. She couldn't help but smile at him even if she was still upset. Sarah stood there, hesitating at getting any closer.

"Come here to me," he said opening his arms. She curled up next to him as he handed her one of the ear buds. He was enthralled by her IPod and had made her download a ton of music. He seemed to really enjoy indie bands and acoustic covers.

After they listened for awhile, she began to nod off, her head on his shoulder, the rain and wind tapping against her front window. At some point, he shifted them so that he lay on the couch, Sarah lying on top of him, against his chest listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart. She could feel it when he occasionally hummed along with a song. She nestled closer as he gently put his hand under her shirt, laying it on the small of her back, bringing them closer, if that was even possible. She was just about to fall asleep again when he took the ear buds out of both of their ears, getting her attention. She shifted as she looked up into his face.

"I think it's time you get to see your dear old friends."

A/N: Like I said, fluffiness abounds…..are you surprised he stopped what was happening from happening? I mean he finally gets the girl…something must be stopping him. What could it be?

Music: "I Will Wait For You" – Cover by : Gavin Mikhail


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